A. 
The City of Oil City shall have the exclusive right, at all times, to supply the City, and such persons, firms or corporations therein as may desire the same, with water. All occupied buildings in the City of Oil City shall be connected to the City water supply system, and no other piped or on-site supply of water to such occupied buildings shall be allowed to be used for drinking or bathing purposes. Any building not so connected at the time of this chapter shall be so connected immediately unless a written waiver is granted by the City.
B. 
The City shall have the authority to enter upon or into any building or premises where City water is supplied and billed at all reasonable times for the purpose of inspection of pipes and fixtures; setting, testing, repairing, replacing or reading meters; turning water off or on; and enforcing rules generally. If such building or premises is occupied, the City employee shall present credentials to the occupant and request entry. If such building or premises is unoccupied, the City employee shall first make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or other person having charge or control of the building or premises and request entry. If entry is refused, the City shall have recourse to every remedy provided by law to secure entry. When the City employee shall have first obtained a proper inspection warrant or other remedy provided by law to secure entry, no owner or occupant or person having charge, care or control of any building or premises shall fail or neglect, after proper request is made as herein provided, to promptly permit entry therein by the City employee for the purpose of inspection and examination pursuant to this chapter. In addition, each and every refusal of the City's right to enter a building or premises will render the offending party liable to penalties prescribed for violation of the rules as further described herein.
The City currently serves some properties situate beyond the limits of the City. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to require the City to continue such service, and it may, subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, discontinue such service at any time.
The water service supplied by the City of Oil City shall be provided to such persons, firms and corporations, subject to the following rules and regulations:
A. 
Service taps.
(1) 
A separate tap to the City of Oil City water main shall be made for each customer to which water may be furnished by the City. Such tap from the City main to the curb stop shall be made only by the proper officers and employees of the City or under its immediate direction, supervision and control at the cost and expense of the owner of the property being served.
(2) 
There are existing service taps in the City which serve more than one customer. Whenever such customer replaces his portion of a service line, separate taps and service lines will be made by the City to serve each customer. In such cases, each property owner served shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with the installation of a separate service line to his premises but shall not be obligated to pay a tap fee for such separate tap. Any property owner not conforming to this requirement may have his water service terminated by the City until compliance is achieved.
B. 
Service lines.
(1) 
The service lines from the curb stop to the meter shall be installed and maintained in satisfactory condition at the cost and expense of the owner of the property to be served. Such lines shall be not less than 3/4 inch in diameter. Water service pipe shall be rated for 200 psi (pounds per square inch) minimum pressure and shall be made of Type K copper or copper alloy tubing, or polyethylene (PE) plastic tubing (outside diameter must be the same as copper tubing size), in accordance with the requirements of the Plumbing Code of the City of Oil City, as adopted and readopted by the City from time to time, and shall also conform to the American Waterworks Standard Specifications for potable water service, as applicable. For polyethylene (PE) water service pipe, stainless steel stiffeners must be used at all fittings and connections, and a tracer wire made for the purpose of locating underground pipes shall be installed over and along the service pipe and shall be connected to water system components capable of conducting electricity at either end. Water service pipe and tracer wire shall be installed and connected to the satisfaction of the City.
[Amended 8-9-2012 by Ord. No. 2812]
(2) 
There shall be no physical connection between the City water supply and any private or on-site water supply, and each system shall be entirely independent of the other.
(3) 
Customer service lines shall be maintained in satisfactory condition. Whenever it is determined that a leak exists through a service line for which the property owner is responsible, the property owner shall have such leak repaired immediately at his cost and expense. If the City determines that the leak is causing a great loss of water or other problem, the City may, at its sole discretion, turn the water off immediately. If the City determines that a leak exists, it will notify the property owner, giving said owner 10 days to repair the leak. If the property owner fails to repair the leak within the ten-day period, the City reserves the right to discontinue water service (if it has not already been discontinued) to the premises until such leak has been repaired. In such cases, the property owner will be responsible for any turn-on fee which may be required to continue water service unless the turn-on is accomplished during working hours of the Water Distribution Department.
C. 
Installation of service lines.
(1) 
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property being served by the water service line to notify the City and to secure the necessary permit(s) from the City's Code Enforcement Office when a water service line will be replaced or repaired and for ensuring all installation work is done in a workmanlike manner. Any damages to City facilities shall be promptly reported to the City. The City shall then repair such facilities at the sole cost and expense of the persons or firms causing the damage or of the property owner of the premises being served if compensation cannot be collected from the persons of firms causing the damage. Any damages to other than City facilities shall be promptly reported to the owner of those facilities.
(2) 
The City reserves the exclusive right to operate curb valves and all other water system facilities. Persons or firms desiring to turn curb valves off or on must have prior permission from the Water Distribution Foreman. Anyone in noncompliance with this provision shall be subject to penalties as designated in the City's Plumbing Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 230, Plumbing Standards.
(3) 
Connection of an old service line to the City's curb valve shall be the responsibility of the property owner of the premises being served and shall be done only by a plumber who is preapproved by the City of Oil City. The City's Code Enforcement Office shall maintain a list of approved plumbers allowed to do such work. Any person or firm performing such connection work who does not obtain the proper preapproval shall be subject to penalties as designated in the City's Plumbing Code.[2] The City shall connect new service pipes to the curb valves, as long as all requirements of the Distribution Department are met; this will be done at no charge during normal working hours of the Water Distribution Department, but a fee will be charged to the property owner for work performed during other times.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 230, Plumbing Standards.
(4) 
Water service pipe shall be installed in a trench of sufficient depth to provide not less than four feet of cover over the pipe. The pipe shall be installed and the trench kept open until the line has been inspected and approved by the City. At least a six-inch cushion shall be provided between the pipe and any rock in the bottom of the trench. Backfill shall be carefully placed and tamped under and around the pipe with no voids under the pipe. The backfill shall be placed and tamped in six-inch layers for a depth of not less than one foot over the pipe. The remaining earth may be bulldozed, except that no large stones shall be placed in the trench. All backfill material shall be free from cinders, ashes, refuse, vegetable or organic material, boulders, rocks or stones or other material which, in the opinion of the City, is unsuitable. Service lines shall be installed in a straight line, if possible. Thrust blocks shall be installed in all lines over two inches in diameter whenever there is a change in size or direction of the line.
(5) 
The water service pipe shall be placed at least 10 feet horizontally from any building drain or building sewer, except that, only as a last resort and at the sole discretion of the City, it may be placed in the same trench with the building drain or sewer when the following conditions are met:
(a) 
The water service pipe is placed on a solid shelf excavated on one side of the common trench.
(b) 
The elevation of the bottom of the water service pipe is at least 18 inches above the top of the building drain or building sewer.
(c) 
The materials and joints of sewer and water service pipe are installed in such manner and possess the necessary strength and durability to prevent the escape of solids, liquids and gases therefrom under all known adverse conditions, such as corrosion, strains due to temperature change, settlements, vibrations and superimposed loads.
(6) 
Service lines shall be installed within a sleeve through the building wall, which sleeve shall be at least two inches larger in diameter than the service line pipe diameter. After the service pipe is installed through such sleeve, the space around the service pipe shall be sealed with nonshrink grout or other such material to properly seal the opening.
D. 
Removal of service lines. When one curb stop serves more than one premises, and one or more of the premises is being demolished, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of property being demolished to cut off and cap his water service line at the point where this line is separated from the service line that serves the other premises. The cap shall be placed on the fitting that is used to separate the service lines.
E. 
Meters.
(1) 
All water services supplied by the City system shall be metered, except that lines in place solely for fire protection are not required to be metered; such fire lines shall be equipped with a three-fourths-inch bypass line on which the City shall install a water meter to detect water flow through the line. The customer shall be responsible for the plumbing of the bypass line, which shall meet the requirements of Figure 2,[3] attached as part of this chapter. The City shall allow more than one meter to serve a single premises, provided that there is a sufficient reason for multiple meters, in the sole opinion of the City.
[3]
Editor's Note: Figure 2 is attached to this chapter as Typical Fire Line Detail.
(2) 
The City initiated a City-wide meter replacement program in 1996. Water meters replaced under this program are owned by the City of Oil City, and the City shall be responsible for all testing, maintenance and replacement of these meters from the date of installation of the new meter.
(3) 
No person shall be allowed to remove a meter from the service line or tamper with a meter in any way; if the City has reason to believe meter removal or tampering has taken place, the property owner of the premises served shall be subject to penalties as prescribed herein.
(4) 
Property owners are responsible for all other plumbing, including the piping up to the connections on either side of the meter. The City is responsible for the meter connections. Whenever plumbing near or around the water meter is replaced or the water service line is replaced, the new plumbing shall meet the requirements of the applicable standard meter setting, attached as Figures 1-1 and 1-2 to this chapter.[4]
[Amended 8-9-2012 by Ord. No. 2812]
[4]
Editor's Note: Figures 1-1 and 1-2.
(5) 
All water meters shall be of a make, design and size approved by the City and shall be located as approved by the City. Water meters shall be located either in an approved pit located outside the building or within the building being serviced as per the requirements outlined in Figures 1-1 and 1-2, as applicable.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: Figures 1-1 and 1-2 are attached to this chapter.
(6) 
Property owners shall be responsible for ensuring that the meter and interior plumbing are protected from freezing and that the meter is kept safe from damage. If a meter becomes frozen or is damaged in any way, the property owner shall be liable for the City's costs associated with repairing or replacing the meter. Property owners are also responsible to notify the City immediately if a water meter becomes frozen or is damaged in any way. Failure to do so may result in penalties as prescribed herein being imposed on the property owner.
(7) 
Such water meter shall be so located on the premises as to afford convenient access thereto to the proper officers and employees of the City.
F. 
Meter pits.
(1) 
Meter pits outside the building shall be placed adjacent to or within the immediate vicinity of the street or utility right-of-way and shall be constructed and maintained by the property owner at his expense. Meter pit locations must be approved by the City prior to construction.
(2) 
Meter pits shall at all times be free of debris and other foreign matter so that the City shall have unobstructed access to the meter.
(3) 
All meter pits shall be constructed under the supervision and inspection of the proper officials of the City. The meter pit shall be constructed of concrete, brick, steel or of vitrified clay or concrete pipe or of other material approved by the City and of such a size and shape to provide for the installation of the meter and shutoff valves and bypass and appurtenances when required and be of sufficient depth to provide at least four feet of cover over the pipe. The meter pit shalt be constructed to provide maximum frost protection and shall be provided with a drain pipe, drainage pit or constructed watertight, as required by the City.
(4) 
Meter pits will be required:
(a) 
When a service line is less than two inches in diameter and the distance from the public right-of-way to the building being serviced is in excess of 100 feet or when the service line is two inches or larger and the distance from the public right-of-way to the building being serviced is in excess of 50 feet.
(b) 
When service lines are placed over unstable ground, over filled ground, beneath underground structures where settlement might occur, in excessive slope areas, in areas subject to vibrations or excessive superimposed loads or any other area which, in the opinion of the Engineer for the City, might adversely affect the performance of the service line.
(c) 
When a suitable place is not available in the building being serviced for the location of the meter.
G. 
Main extensions.
(1) 
For the purposes of this subsection, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BONA FIDE PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMER
Any owner or lessee who is or will be the occupant of an existing developed premises having a curbline abutting on that part of a public street, alley or highway in which there is, or is to be, located a distribution main of the City, who shall file a signed application and pay the City service connection fee for a new street service connection to such premises and for water service to begin immediately following installation of the street service connection.
STREET SERVICE CONNECTION
A pipe with appurtenances used to conduct water from a distribution main of the City to the curbline of the premises.
(2) 
The City of Oil City will extend existing distribution mains within public right-of-way in the City of Oil City a distance of 55 feet in length for each bona fide prospective customer not presently served by water and making application for water service under these rules and regulations. Such extensions will be made without costs to such customer(s).
(3) 
When an extension greater than 55 feet in length for each bona fide prospective customer is required, such extension will be made under the terms of an extension deposit agreement, which shall be in accordance with the current policies in effect at the time of the application for water service. The City shall have the exclusive right to determine the type and size of mains to be installed and the other facilities required to render adequate service; provided, however, that where the City decides to install a main larger than eight inches in diameter and an eight-inch main would render adequate service throughout the extension, the City will bear the difference in material cost between a pipe larger than eight inches and an eight-inch pipe.
(4) 
In determining the length of and necessity for any extension required pursuant hereto, the terminal point of such extension shall, in all cases, be at that point in the curbline which is equidistant from the side property lines of the last lot for which water service is requested, and a street service connection will be provided only for customer service lines from the curb to the premises to be served which are laid in a straight tine at right angles to the curbline.
All charges for water furnished by the City of Oil City shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property which is served by the City with water at the rate hereinafter fixed; exceptions to this rule are outlined in Article III herein.
All water meters shall be read by the City monthly, ice and snow permitting, and bills shall be rendered by the City to the property owners within said month for the amount of water shown to have been consumed during said period in accordance with the schedule of rates hereinafter fixed. If an active meter is found stationary for any meter reading period, the bill for such period shall be estimated on an equitable basis having regard to previous readings for similar periods.